Shoe adjustable to the foot



n 25, 1940. E. F. ROBERTS 2,205,577

SHOE ADJUSTABLE TO THE FOOT Filed Jdl 23. 19s? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. f /j Z; Zia x74 1.3056755 ATTORNEYS June 25, 1940." a. F.-ROBERTS SHOE ADJUSTABLE TO THE FOOT Filed July 23, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2IiQVENTOR.

21m m 17 faeria" BY -A ATTORNEYS Patented June 25, 1940 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE SHOE ADJUSTABLE TO THE'FOOT Jersey Application July 23,1937, Serial No. 155,199

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel shoe con-- struction whereby the shoemay readily be made to conform to the particular shape of the foot ofthe wearer.

Shoes as commonly constructed heretofore are made to conform to theshape of standard lasts and as a result, if a person has a foot whichdoes not conform to the shape of the standard lasts, it is difiicult forhim to secure a shoe that will properly fit his foot, unless such shoeis built upon a last which has been specially shaped in accordance withthe peculiarities of his foot. The making of a specially shaped last andthe building of a shoe thereupon to order is expensive and timeconsuming.

The present invention contemplates a novel shoe construction whereby theshoe salesman or other person engaged in trying a shoe on the customermay readily cause the shoe to conform accurately to the foot of thewearer. This is accomplished by so constructing the shoe that itsbinding pressure upon different portions of the foot may readily berelieved.

In carrying out the present invention any desired portion of the shoeupper may be provided with the novel shoe construction hereincontemplated, but since in practice it is found that the portions of thefootmost diflicult to fit lie in the vicinity of the toes and in thethroat of the shoe, the invention is preferably employed in theseportions of the shoe.

In constructing a shoe in accordance with the present invention thedesired portion of the shoe upper is formed of an elastic outer fabricand an underlying nonelastic lining firmly secured tothe outerfabricalong spaced rows so as to hold the elastic outer fabric fromstretching. When so constructed this portion of the shoe will benon-elastic as the shoe is supplied to the trade. but if when the shoeis tried on by the customer, it is found'to exert an uncomfortablepressure upon any portion of the foot, such pressure may be readilyrelieved by slitting the non-elastic lining between suchrows at thepoint of pressure to thereby render elastic this particular portion ofthe shoe. After the underlying lining has been slitted in aparticularportion of the shoe the overlying elastic. outer fabric will cause thisportion of the shoe to fit the foot snuglywithout exerting anuncomfortable binding pressure thereupon.

The above and other features of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from the following description when read in connection withthe accompanying drawings wherein- ,of a; rubber core' having a textilecover.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one type of woman's shoe embodying theconstruction of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a different type of womens shoeembodying the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the outer exposed face of a ply materialemployed in carrying out the present invention- Fig. i is a plan view ofthe inner face of the ply material of Fig. 3, such material being shownin its unextended condition.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but shows the material in theextended condition; and

Fig. 6 on a larger scale is a sectional "view taken on the lines 6 6 ofFig. 3 V

The construction of the present invention may be employed in varioustypes of mens, womens and children's shoes/and may be used in anydesired portion of the shoe upper.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the shoe has the usual sole l0, heelll, counter l2 and vamp or toe portion l3. Only that portion lying inthe front quarter area is'constructed in'ac cordance with the presentinvention and is formed of the ply material l4 which will now bedescribed.

This ply material ll comprises an outer elastice fabric l5 and anon-elastic lining l6. Practically any elastic fabric having a.relatively strong contractive force and which will present a pleasingappearance when embodied in a shoe may be employed as the fabric l5.Practically any of the materials used heretofore as shoe lining may bevemployed as the lining IE but a leather shoe lining material ispreferable. In carrying out the present invention it is important thatthe outer fabric li and lining It be firmly secured toeach other inspaced rows extending. transversely to the direction of stretch. In the40 construction shown the outer fabric l5 and lining {6 are securedtogether by the rows of sewing stitches l1. 1

While various-elastic materials may be employed as the outer elasticfabric l5,'in the constru'otion shown a-specially constructed elasticfabric is provided having the longitudinally extending elastic threadsl8 which lie between the transversely extending upper-and lower yarnsl9. Each elastic thread l8 preferably consi shts e threads l8 and IS inthe construction shown are not interwoven, but are retained in thefabric forming relation by the rows of stitching 20 having the usuallock-stitch construction except that shoe is being worn except in thevicinity of the ly at the points where thetrows of stitching l1 lie.,Such a construction in the appearance of the fabric helps to concealthe spaced rows of stitching I! which unite the fabrics l5 and Hi.

In the construction of the present invention the lining l6 performs theusual function of a shoe lining and in addition thereto it performs animportant added function which is to prevent the outer elastic fabric l5from stretching during theformation of the shoe, and also when theslitted areas to be described.

If the ply material I4 is embodied in a shoe such for example as shownin Fig. 1 or 2, the entire upper of the shoe will be non-elasticso longas the underlying lining I6 is intact and. is not'slitted or severedbetween the spaced rows of stitching II. If, however, it is founddesirable to relieve the pressure of the shoe upon the foot 'at one ormore points in this area II, this may be easily done by slittingtheunder-lying lining l6 at one or more points between'the rows of threadI? as indicated by 2| The eifect of forming such slits-is to destroythe'anchoring action of the underlying fabric IS in the vicinity ofthese slits so asto permit stretching of the outer fabric l5 in thisarea and thereby relieve the pressure of the shoe upon the foot in thisvicinity.

By. employing the present construction in which the'el'astic fabric, l5is-secured to the nonelastic fabric along the spaced rows l'l it ispossible to render the outer fabric elastic at only the points desired,and when the underlying lining is slitted the area of the outer fabricthereby rendered elastic is limited to the area lying between the twoadjacent rows of stitches I! as is, clearly shown in Fig. 5. As 'abovestated the lining I6 is preferably a leather lining be-v cause leatherwill resist better than most fabric lining a' tendency of' the same torip or tear in the direction of the slits 2|.

-In the shoe shown in Fig. 1 a piece of ply mate-' rial I4 is providedat each side of the front lportion of the shoe in the quarter area andthese two pieces of fabric'may be secured together in the throat ,of theshoeby a seam which is concealed by the ornamental strap 22.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2 a large portion of the shoe upper isformed of the ply material H, by providing two strips of this plymaterial I each of which extend upwardly from the sole of the shoe nearthe toe thereof. These strips overlap in the throat area where they areThe overlying outer fabric I5 will then be free to stretch to relievethe pressure upon this portion of the foot, but in doing so it willconform closely to the foot to give the shoe a neat and pleasingappearance.

Having thus describedmy invention what I claim and desire to protect byLetters Patent is:

l.- A shoe adapted'to be easily and quickly fitted to the particularcontour of the foot of a person after havingbeen built to fit adifferent shape foot, and having the upper thereof formed at least inpart'of an outer elastic fabric of relatively strongv contractive forceand anunderlying non-elastic lining for holding the shoe as close to itsoriginal shape as is consistent with its fitting of the foot, saidlining being firmly secured to the outer elastic fabric along spacedrows extending transversely to the direction of stretch to therebyrestrict the stretch .of the outer fabric between said rows to thatpermitted by the underlying fabric between the same rows, and saidlining being-slitted between at least some of said rows and adapted tobe further slitted to render elastic the particular portion of the shoeupper overlying a particular slit, while the slit is concealed at theexterior of the shoe by the outer elastic fabric.

2. A'shoe adapted to be easily and quickly fitted to the particularcontour of the foot of a person after having been built to fit adifferent shape foot, and having the upper thereof formed at least inpart of a one-way stretch outer elastic fabric and an underlyingnon-elastic lining for holding the shoe as close to its original shapeas is consistent with its fitting of the foot, said lar portion of theshoe upper overlying a particular slit, while the slit is concealed atthe exteriorof the shoe by the outer elastic fabric.

EDWARD F. ROBERTS.

